23.976 vs. 24fps: What's the Difference, and Which Should You Use?
23.976 and 24fps look almost identical, but mixing them up can cause sync drift and rejected deliverables. Here's the difference and which to use.
Set a camera to "24fps," and there's a good chance it's actually recording 23.976 frames per second. The two numbers look almost identical, and for most viewers the footage does too. But mixing them up can cause audio drift, mismatched timelines, and rejected deliverables.
Here's what the difference actually is, where 23.976 came from, and how to choose the right frame rate for your project.
The Short Answer
24fps is exactly 24 frames per second, the traditional frame rate of theatrical film.
23.976fps is slightly slower, exactly 24,000 frames every 1,001 seconds, or about 0.1% slower than 24. It's often labeled 23.98 in camera menus and editing software.
In practice, 23.976 is the more common choice for video that ends up on TV, streaming platforms, and online in North America. True 24 is more common for theatrical projection and some festival workflows.
Where 23.976 Came From
The odd number is a leftover from analog television.
When color was added to North American (NTSC) broadcasts in the 1950s, engineers slowed the frame rate slightly, from 30 to 29.97, to prevent the new color signal from interfering with the audio signal.
Film shot at 24fps then had to be transferred to that 29.97 system for TV. To make the math work, film was slowed by the same 0.1%, from 24 to 23.976. The analog technical reason is long gone, but the frame rates stuck around, and they're still standard today.
The same thing happened with other rates:
- 30 became 29.97
- 60 became 59.94
In PAL regions, including much of Europe, the standards are 25 and 50fps, which never had fractional versions.
Why 0.1% Matters
A 0.1% difference sounds too small to notice. On screen, it usually is. But in the edit, it adds up.
Over one hour, the gap between 23.976 and 24 comes to about 86 frames, or roughly 3.6 seconds. That can cause:
- Audio sync drift: if picture and separately recorded sound assume different rates, long takes slowly drift out of sync
- Mismatched cameras: footage from a camera at true 24 won't line up cleanly on a 23.976 timeline, or vice versa
- Deliverable problems: a file at the wrong rate can fail a broadcaster's or distributor's technical check
- Timecode confusion: timecode labels can disagree with real elapsed time if rates are mixed up
A Quick Note on Timecode
At 29.97 and 59.94, you'll often see an option for drop-frame timecode. It skips certain timecode numbers, not actual frames, so the timecode stays in step with real clock time.
23.976 doesn't use drop-frame timecode, which means its timecode runs about 3.6 seconds slow per hour compared with a real clock. For most narrative projects this doesn't matter, but for broadcast or anything timed to the real world, it's worth knowing.
Which Should You Use?
The honest answer: match your deliverable and your other cameras. Some general guidelines:
- US and North American streaming, broadcast, and online video: 23.976 is typical
- Theatrical DCPs and some festival workflows: true 24 is common
- Europe and other PAL regions: 25fps is typical
- Live, sports, and broadcast in NTSC regions: 29.97 or 59.94
- Online-only content with no broadcast requirement: either works, as long as you're consistent
If you're working for a client, broadcaster, or distributor, check their technical specs before you shoot. Many publish exact frame rate requirements.
The Most Common Mistake
The biggest problem isn't choosing the wrong rate. It's not knowing what you actually shot.
Many camera menus label 23.976 as "24," and some don't make the difference obvious at all. GoPro's Mission 1 Pro ILS, for example, labels 23.976 as "24" in its menus, with true 24 available only through its experimental GoPro Labs firmware.
Before a shoot, especially with multiple cameras:
- Check each camera's actual frame rate, not just the number on the menu
- Set every camera to the same rate, including action cams, drones, and phones
- Set your audio recorder's timecode rate to match
- Shoot a quick test clip and check it in your editing software
How to Check a Clip's Frame Rate
Your editing software will show the true frame rate:
- DaVinci Resolve: check the clip's attributes or metadata in the Media Pool
- Premiere Pro: check the clip's properties or the frame rate column in the Project panel
- MediaInfo: a free tool that shows exact file details
What If You Already Mixed Them?
It's usually fixable. Most editing software can conform clips, telling the software to play a clip at a different rate. Conforming 24 to 23.976 slows the footage by 0.1%, which is essentially invisible, though audio pitch shifts very slightly.
In DaVinci Resolve, you can change a clip's frame rate in its clip attributes. In Premiere Pro, use Interpret Footage. Set your timeline to the rate most of your footage uses, then conform the rest.
Competitive Context
Most modern cinema and mirrorless cameras from Blackmagic, Canon, Sony, and Panasonic display fractional rates clearly, often as 23.98 or 23.976. Action cameras, drones, and phones are more likely to round, which is why mixed-camera shoots are where problems usually show up.
The Signal in the Noise
Neither 23.976 nor 24 is better. They're both standard, and they both look like "cinematic" frame rates to viewers. What matters is consistency: every camera, audio recorder, and timeline on a project should agree.
Pick the rate your deliverable needs, confirm every device is actually shooting it, and you'll avoid one of the most frustrating problems in post.
Have you ever had a project where frame rate mismatches caused problems in the edit?
The Details
- 24fps: exactly 24 frames per second; common for theatrical and some festival work
- 23.976fps: 24,000/1,001 frames per second, about 0.1% slower; often labeled 23.98
- Origin: NTSC color television in the 1950s
- Related rates: 30 → 29.97, 60 → 59.94; PAL uses 25 and 50
- Drift between 23.976 and 24: about 86 frames, or roughly 3.6 seconds, per hour
- Drop-frame timecode: used with 29.97 and 59.94; not used with 23.976
- Best practice: match your deliverable and set every device to the same rate
- Fixing mixed footage: conform clips in your editing software
